Guard for channeled marine vessels.



L. DION. .GUARD FOR CHANNELED MARINE VESSELS'. PPLIqAnoN FILED 00T. z0, 1905. RENBWED FEB. 20, 190s.

Patented S0pt..29,'1908.

-mr mais Ps1-sns :0., wasnmarou.' D. c.

ends are alike similar to a ferry boat. `Suitable rudders` (not shown) will, of course, be`

j UNIrnn sTArns-rA'rnNr ernten."

. LEON' nIoN, 'or wILIns-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

' GUARD non* CHANNELD MARINE VEssELs.

Application led'October 20, 1905, Serial No. 283,676. Renewed February 20,

To all whom it 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, LON DION, of Wilkes- Barre, in the countyof `Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in` Guards for Channeled Marine Vessels, of which thefollowing is a specification.' 1 f This invention relates to navigable vessels of that type having one or more channels eX- tending longitudinally of the b`ottom,saidv channels being open at the bottom and closed at top and sides, an endless series of paddles being caused to move along said channels to eXerta pulling forceuon the water'to propel the vessel. l

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a vesselof this character with means to prevent the water from offering re-4 sistance to the downward movement of the paddles when passing over the forward su porting drum toward' the front end. of t e bottom channel. i Y

Another object is Vto provide a vessel of this character having both ends alike, each end of the channel or channels being fitted with a movable gu ard or platform which may be shifted to or from position across the end of the channel to form a chamber at the end of the vessel which is being used as the bow and to open a free space at the other end or stern. f

To these ends, the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafterV described and claimed. d

Of the accompanying `drawingsz--Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section through a double end vessel having my invention, in one of its embodiments, applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail view similar to the right-` hand end of Fig. 1, but on a larger scalethe end drum and the seriesV of buckets being omitted. Fig.\3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a diiferent construction of a slidably-movable guard or platform. Fig. 5` represents a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar views in all the iigures.

The hull 10 of the vessel is represented in Fig. 1 as being double-ended, that is, both employed. One or more channels `11 are A A speefceamqri` of Letters ratent.

Vwherethe series of paddles approac tionof the channel 11.`

formed in the bottom of the hull. An end- Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

1908. Serial No. 416,925.

less series of paddles 12 is mounted on suitable end drums 13, and engaged by drivel,through suitable connections, as sprocket chains 16. Portions of the paddle sections mayl enterguide' grooves 17 in the walls of the channel 11` and inthe walls of the upper chute or guideway 1S for the return stretch of the series. The drums and drive-wheels are provided with curved shields or casings 19 to inclose them except at those oint,1

an leave said drums and wheels.

At each end of the vessel, beyond the drums 13, are floors, platforms, or horizontal partitions 20 which are above the level ofthe top or roof of the channel 1 1 so that the water may freely leave the paddles at the stern,

each partition 2() forming the roof of a chamber 21 in line with, and forming a continua- Each chamber 21 may have itsbottom closed, by means which I shall now describe:-'

Referrin iirst to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the guard or sliding clIyosure for the bottom of the cham- 'ber 21 comprises aseries of strips or slats 22 of steel or other suitable material possessing the necessary strength, said strips being jointed together as lby being riveted to a flexible guard or apron adapted to be wound on a suitable drum or reel 23. The edges of this guard or apron, comprising the ends of the strips, enter inclined grooves 24 in the opposing walls of the chamber 21, near the lower edge thereof, whereby the guard, when lowered, will be held in an inclined poysition such as represented at the right of Fig. 1. Suitable packing may be employed at the opening through which the guard or closure passes to the rum or reel 23.

When the vessel is traveling in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, the sliding guard or shield 22 is lowered to the osition shown at the right of said figure, t at end of the vessel being then the bow, and the other guard or shield will be raised. Therefore, when the paddles are started, the water betweenA the partition, 2() and guard 22 will almost immediately be exhausted, after which the paddles encounter little or no resistance when moving downward under the front drum 13. The raised guard or shield 22 at the stern permitsthe water to escape freely. When the vessel is to be propelled in the opposite direction, the relative ositions of the two guards or shields 22 wi l be reversed.

Instead 0f employing flexible guards or closures for the bottoms of the chambers 2l, such guards may be continuous plates (see Figs. 4 and 5) fitted to the guide grooves 24 and having rack teeth 26 on their upper surfaces, the rack teeth of each plate 25 being engaged by pinions or gears 27 on a shaft 28 driven by a suitable motor 29 through the medium of drive belts 30. The purpose of the slides 25 is the same as above described in connection with the lieXible guards 22, and the operation thereof need not be rep eated.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction here shown, and may variously modify the same without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the edges of the guard or shield, instead of iitting in grooves 24, may themselves be grooved to receive ribs located in the place of said grooves 24.

Having now described my invention, l. claim l. A navigable vessel having a channel in its bottom, an endless series of paddles movable along said channel, and an inclined guard or shield at the bow extending to a point under the front end of said channel to prevent the entrance of Water to the eXtreme front end of the channel when the vessel is moving forward.

2. A navigable vessel having a channel in its bottom, an endless series of paddles 1novable along said channel, and an inclined guard or shield at the bow extending to a point under the front end of said channel to prevent the entrance of water to the extreme front end of the channel when the vessel is moving forward, said guard or shield being adjustable.

3. A navigable vessel having a channel in its bottom and. formed with a chamber at each end in line with said channel, an end less series of paddles movable along saidv channel, and inclined guards or shields movable to and from position across the bottom of said chambers.

4. A double-end navigable vessel having a channel in its bottom and formed with a chamber at each end in line with said channel, an endless series of paddles movable along said channel, inclined guides along the bottoms of said chambers, and guards or shields mounted to slide along said guides to close or o )en the bottoms of said chambers.

In testimony whereof l have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LON DION.

lVitnesses:

A. W. HAnnrsoN, WM. S. HoDGns.

CII 

